// ADVOCACY IFPMA | IPASA Health as an economic priority – building on the momentum of the G20 South Africa presidency
By looking at health as a foundation, rather than a sectoral issue, future G20 presidencies can send a clear signal that investments in disease prevention, health innovation, and universal health coverage (UHC) play a key role in strengthening economies and reducing inequalities
S outh Africa leads the G20 this year at a moment of profound global shifts. In an era of competing priorities and geopolitical tensions, the fact that the South African presidency has placed health and financing as one of its central tracks deserves recognition. It reflects the under- standing that health is not just a cost, but a strategic economic investment that drives growth and resilience. Building on this momentum throughout the next G20 Presidencies has the potential to embed health as a foundational pillar of the global economic agenda. By look- ing at health as a foundation, rather than a sectoral issue, future G20 presidencies can send a clear signal that investments in disease prevention, health innovation, and universal health coverage (UHC) play a key role in strengthening economies and reducing inequalities.
David Reddy, director general, International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), Bada Pharasi, former CEO, Innovative Pharmaceutical Association South Africa (IPASA)
PREVENTION AS THE FIRST LINE OF GROWTH, WITH IMMUNISATION AS A MULTIPLIER At the core of the South African G20 health agenda is UHC, with a focus on primary health care. This approach is inclusive and cost-effective in improving health while preparing for future emergencies. The World Health Organization (WHO) esti- mates that 4.5 billion people worldwide were not fully covered by essential health services in 2021. According to WHO modelling, scaling up primary health care interventions in low- and middle-income countries could save some 60 million lives and add almost
four years of life expectancy on average by 2030. These are the kinds of gains that the G20 can help unlock, by elevating health at a higher level. One critical pillar of this is embedding immunisation throughout the life-course. Robust national immunisation pro- grammes, reaching people of all ages and across the life-course, are key as they help reduce the burden of preventable diseases, protecting people and societies. A 2024 analysis by the Office of Health Economics showed that adult immunisation pro- grammes in 10 countries yielded returns of up to 19 times their initial investment when broader social and economic benefits
114 // G20 SOUTH AFRICA: THE JOHANNESBURG SUMMIT 2025
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